The present invention relates generally to devices used with implantable vascular access ports having a subcutaneous septum, and more particularly, to a novel apparatus for safely removing a needle from such subcutaneous septum without the risk of accidental needle/hand contact.
Care givers time after time come in contact with an implantable vascular access device 10, also referred to as a port, or portal (FIG. 1). In the center of the portal 10 is a self-sealing silicone septum 12. This device is surgically implanted under the skin and below the collarbone, as illustrated in FIG. 1. To access the portal, a Huber needle 14, or the like, is placed through a patient""s skin with enough pressure to penetrate the silicone septum 12.
Problems start when care givers are removing the needle 14 from the septum 12 of portal 10. Extreme caution is needed because one must typically place the fingers of one hand firmly over the portal 10, which is located under the skin, to apply a counter pressure to the portal 10 as a needle is being removed from the portal 10 with the care giver""s other hand. Just the right amount of counter pressure is needed on the portal 10 to permit safe removal of the needle 14, but this procedure places the care giver""s fingers within millimeters of the needle 14. The principal fear is that when pulling the needle 14 out of this portal 10 with one hand, the counter pressure applied with the other hand causes a xe2x80x9cbounce backxe2x80x9d phenomenon when the needle is dislodged and withdrawn, making a contaminated needle stick of the care giver""s hand or the patient possible.
The solution to this problem is to use as a safety device the apparatus of the present invention, which allows a care giver""s fingers that apply counter pressure to the subcutaneous portal 10 to be kept at a safe distance from the contaminated needle being withdrawn. The solution is illustrated and demonstrated in FIGS. 1-5. By placing sterile wood or plastic extension pieces 16, 18 upon the patient""s chest wall over the portal 10, the same amount of counter pressure applied by a care giver""s fingers is now transferred to the portal 10 by the sterile extension pieces 16, 18, also referred to as blades, thus keeping the care giver""s fingers out of harms way. FIGS. 1 and 2 show in detail the relationship between the apparatus 8 of the present invention and a subcutaneous portal 10 within a patient""s body.